Every Friday through August 1 we will host special free all-ages events from 1 – 2:30 p.m. with experts leading sessions on different arts and crafts skills.
Tomorrow, June 6, is drawing and painting, when we will paint air dry clay and draw with brush markers. June 13 is fiber arts and wearables, when we’ll create a quilt square or potholder. June 20 showcases photographer Mark Langford helping us explore life through a lens. June 27 features Jesse Krebs, survivalist and “Alone” star, teaching us to make a survival bracelet. All materials will be provided.
Pick up your free Summer Reading Program bingo sheets every week at the library through August 1. Then complete activities to earn rewards throughout the summer and a chance to win a grand prize. There will be awards for different age groups: infants and pre-school, youth aged five – 11, tweens and teens, and adults.
Watch for details with dates and times of Summer Reading events and activities in future Library News columns throughout the summer. And pick up the Summer Reading Program flyer at the library so you don’t miss any of the free programs, events and activities available to you and your family.
Save the date for archeology event
Next Thursday, June 12 is a special all-ages archaeology and fossils event from 12:30 – 1:45 p.m. You’ll be able to hold and examine both real and replica artifacts as well as tools used in the field as you learn from archeologist Paul Landrum, an expert on this fascinating field of science. Coming to us from Durango, he is president of the San Juan Basin Archaeological Society and will bring items to touch and look at. As well, we have two kits with replica fossil artifacts and tools from the Colorado State Library to display,
Virtual reality Holocaust films
Tomorrow, Friday, June 6, is your last chance to see a first-in-the world virtual reality exhibition with five unique films featuring Holocaust survivors walking us through their memories and concentration camp experiences as they share their stories of survival. “The Journey Back” applies cutting-edge technology to engage visitors with the survivors’ incredibly important stories via virtual reality headsets. We are privileged to share it with you free of charge, thanks to a generous loan from the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. The films average 17 minutes in length and you can watch one movie or up to all five for a total of 83.5 minutes. Each showing is limited to 10 people because that’s how many headsets we have.
“We have staff and volunteers to help you set up the headsets,” said Judy Brennan, adult services librarian. “As well, we encourage you to be prepared for an emotional response to these films and make self-care a priority before and after viewing. You also will want to consider what age is appropriate for children to attend.”
Changes for conversational Spanish
The Conversational Spanish group now gathers on the second and fourth Mondays of the month from 4-5 p.m. starting next Monday, June 9. This is a great opportunity to practice your Spanish in a free group setting. No minimum skill level needed.
Ageless Grace exercise Monday
In a community partnership, Judy, our adult services librarian, is leading a free Ageless Grace exercise session at the Senior Center Mondays from 10 – 10:45 a.m. It is a brain fitness program consisting of 21 simple exercises designed for all ages and abilities, performed while sitting in a chair. The Senior Center location was chosen so participants have more privacy as they exercise.
Adult book club
Ruby’s Book Club meets from 2-3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10 to discuss “Go As a River” by Shelly Reed. Copies are available at your library. This free adult book club is held the second Tuesday of each month, alternating between fiction and nonfiction titles. Anyone is welcome to attend.
Writers Guild
Thursdays from 9-11 a.m. the Ruby’s Writers Guild welcomes writers looking for opportunities, support, resources and camaraderie with other writers at this free gathering.
Tech Time
Free in-person slots are available from 2-4 p.m. on Thursdays. Taylor helps with basic questions relating to computers, smartphones and tablets and also provides assistance in accessing the library’s online resources. No appointment is needed, but please bring your device’s charger and passwords with you.
ESL classes
Free in-person evening classes take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with 4-5 p.m. reserved for beginners, 5-6 p.m. for intermediate and 6-7 p.m. for advanced students. Please help us pass the word about these classes.
Clases de inglés
Clases gratis de inglés cada martes y jueves. Principiantes de 4-5 p.m., intermedios de 5-6 p.m. y advanzados de 6-7 p.m. Ayudenos a informar a todos quienes necesitan aprender inglés.
Pagosa Adult Learning Services (PALS)
Join Mark or Sally for free individualized PALS sessions Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 – 8 p.m. to help with high school equivalency, GED, college prep, financial aid, tutoring and more. No appointment necessary.
Books on CD
“A Mind of Her Own” by Danielle Steel features a teen adjusting to her life during World War II. “Speak to Me of Home” by Jeanine Cummins follows three generations of women in a Puerto Rican-Irish family. “My Friends” by Fredrik Backman tells of an investigation into three tiny figures in a painting. “South of Nowhere” by Jeffery Deaver is a Colter Shaw adventure. “25 Alive” by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro is a Sgt. Lindsay Boxer murder mystery.
“Change the Recipe” by Jose Andres is a collection of life lessons from the renowned chef, TV host and humanitarian. “Burn Book” by Kara Swisher is an expose of the tech industry and its founders.
Mysteries and thrillers
“The Night Agent” by Matthew Quirk features a low-level FBI agent in charge of monitoring an emergency phone line. “Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConachy begins when a woman’s body washes up on a tiny island near Antarctica.
Nonfiction
“On Tyranny” by Timothy Snyder looks at 20 lessons from the 20th century we can learn from. “Santa Fe Taos & Albuquerque” is a Top 10 Eyewitness Travel guide. “Money Management Essentials for Dummies” by Eric Tyson offers a roadmap to navigating financial challenges. “Everything is Tuberculosis” by John Green reveals the history and persistence of our country’s deadliest infection.
DVDs
“Better Man” is a biographical musical drama about British pop star Robbie Williams. “Bonhoeffer” is the biography of a German anti-Nazi pastor. “I’m Still Here” won an Academy Ward for the best international feature. “Anora” is an anti-Cinderella story of a Brooklyn erotic dancer. “An American Tail” is the four-movie complete collection. “Keeping Faith” is season three of this Welsh thriller.
Thanks to our donors
Thanks to all our generous visitors who fill our conscience jar with a smile. Whether you’re dropping your copy change into the pot or tossing a couple of dollars in as a thank you for great service, those small donations add up to a significant boost to our ability to provide new books and fun programs.
Current donor guidelines
Friends of the Library have new guidelines for donations to the library. Books on time-sensitive topics that can quickly become out of date are wanted only if they have been published within the last five years. These subjects include politics/current events, health and medicine, sports/exercise, business, technology, science, education and travel guides. Not accepted are reference materials, textbooks and non-print material like CDs, DVDs, Blu Ray, VHS or cassette tapes because they do not sell at Friends of the Library sales.
When the library is open, high-quality used book donations are gratefully accepted at the front desk – not down the outside returns slot at the library or the dropbox at City Market, please. No more than two boxes at a time because of space constraints and all books in excellent condition, please.
Quotable Quote
“Develop a toolkit of self-care…. Learn techniques to sooth your anxiety, to calm yourself, to stay resilient in the face of hardships…. Don’t let anxiety or depression or homelessness cause you to isolate. On the contrary, grow yourself a deep, solid community of people who share your values, have each other’s backs and check up on each other regularly. And be intentional about this.” – Jane Fonda, Academy Award-winning actor, producer, author and activist in her May 21 commencement address at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Website
For more information on library books, services and programs – and to reserve books, e-books, books on CD and DVDs from the comfort of your home – please visit our website at https://pagosalibrary.org.